Aspirations and Antiheros
by dezzawho77
Summary: Ember Rhodes is a determined performing artist with unmatched natural talent... and crippling stage fright. One fateful audition flings her into the crazy yet beautiful world of the prestigious Bangtan Performing Arts School, a world filled with grueling practices, snarky and sarcastic piano instructors, and handsome and infuriating boys, and her life will never be the same.
1. chapter 1

_Breathe. Just breathe._

Ember forced herself to pull in one long, slow draught of cool air after the other, rolling her neck and shoulders leisurely, forcing her body to release some of its tension.

The sweet violin music of the contestant before her did little to ease her nerves. It was good. Really good. This was what she was up against.

For as long as she could remember, Ember had wanted nothing more than to be standing where she was now, just steps away from the stage, moments away from the audition that could change her life and practically guarantee her aspirations would become reality.

Any normal person would think the scholarship audition would be the first step of many, but Ember knew who she was, had confidence in her drive. She'd made it this far by herself, even with her critical disadvantages. She knew for a fact that all she had to do was make it in, and then nothing could hold her back from sharing her passions with the world.

 _This is what I was made for._

The clear, haunting melody rose, peaked, and drifted to a flawless close, and the contestant before her was met with a small smattering of applause from the dozen or so sponsors and school judges.

After a hurried thank you from the panel, echoed by the performer, the latter was ushered off stage and, just like that, Ember was face to face with the most important moment of her life so far.

The determined brunette shook out her arms one last time, bouncing on her toes as she made sure her high ponytail was fastened securely and her flats were laced tight.

 _You've got this. Breathe._

"Next contestant!"

Ember grabbed her sliver of velvet and passed her flashdrive to the young woman who greeted her at the curtain, informing her that there was just one track on it, so all she needed to do was plug it in.

The petite redhead smiled warmly and walked her onto the stage, introducing her to the judges.

"Miss Ember Rhodes, age 19, Junior. Will be performing a contemporary dance routine to her own piano and vocals."

The five judges nodded, taking in Ember's simple tight white tshirt and black leggings with very little interest.

"...blindfolded." The woman grinned at Ember at the sudden rapt attention of the prominent figures seated in front of them, before stepping behind her and helping the contestant secure her scrap of black velvet snugly over her vision.

Ember held herself still as she listened intently to the reassuring girl's retreating footsteps and the muffled click of her track being plugged in. The auditorium was heavy with silent anticipation as the wealthy voyeurs leaned forward in the seats, eyes fixed on the girl standing, statuesque, in front of them.

Soft, pure, liquid, notes flooded gracefully into the waiting quiet, and the last of Ember's tension melted quickly away as she let the music flow through her, moving her along the empty stage.

Her audience was forgotten, and she gave herself up to the passion beating through her body, keeping perfect time, matching each note as the music rose and fell, the soundtrack to the emotional story she told her spectators with each spin and leap and collapse upon the stage.

Too soon, the music she had so passionately prepared drifted to a soft, lilting close, and she was left kneeling on the stage with her head in her hands, her breath the loudest thing in the room.

She was met again by silence, and her nerves spiked back full force, her confidence long forgotten. She clambered less than gracefully to her feet, fingers fumbling and pulling strands lose from her ponytail as she untied the blindfold.

She bowed quickly in the direction of the judges.

"Thank you for this opportunity ladies and gentleman. It's more than I could have hoped for."

Without waiting for a response, she hurridly exited the stage left, breathing only once she was back on the other side of the heavy curtain.

She was shaking terribly, and she hated herself for it. No matter how many hours she labored, how hard she worked, she knew she would never beat the crippling anxiety that pounced without fail whenever she stood unmasked before an audience. Such cruel irony, for whatever powers that be to give her this passion, this drive, this talent, and no means to share it without being reduced to a nervous wreck.

"Here's your track." It was the redhead again, smilingly warmly, knowingly.

"Stage fright, huh?"

Ember laughed desperately as she pocketed the flash drive. "I feel like that is such an understatement I don't even know where to begin."

The other girl winced, sympathetic, before her beautiful smile graced her face again.

"You couldn't tell. During your act, I mean. It was beautiful. _So_ beautiful. Did you write the piece yourself?"

Ember smiled softly, starting to feel her nerves retreat again.

"Kind of. It was based off of a tune my grandfather used to sing to me. But I could only remember a few lines, so I built the rest of the piece around it."

The girl was clearly awed.

"That's honestly amazing. I'll be sure to pass that on to the panel. You didn't have classical composition listed as a talent."

Ember flushed. "I have trouble with it. I don't really consider it a talent. It's always a struggle, and sometimes I can try for days or weeks and get nowhere."

The other girl grinned. "Well, it's nice to know that you're not great at _everything._ I'm Hye-ji, by the way. Senior class."

Ember took her hand, smiling sincerely. "Nice to meet you. Maybe if I get in, we can hang out sometimes."

Hye-ji laughed. "I wouldn't worry too much about that. The judges were shocked silent. The only issue will be the sponsers fighting over who gets to finance your tuition. So yes, we'll definitely be hanging out soon."

Ember laughed out loud, the other girl's positivity contagious, and the two swapped numbers before Ember finally made her way back out into the real world.

Before she was even halfway home, her phone was buzzing in her pocket.

She fumbled it out and to her ear, recognizing the number immediately.

"Hello?"

"Am I speaking to a Miss Ember Rhodes?"

"Yes, this is she."

"Miss Rhodes, this is Dean Kim Ji Woon of Bangtan Performing Arts School. I was in attendance at your audition today."

Ember nodded avidly before realizing he couldn't see her through the phone.

"Uh, hi. Yes, sir. How may I help you?"

"Well, Miss Rhodes, as I'm sure you're aware, we here at the university usually take a few days to debate over the contestestants auditioning for our limited scholarships here at Bangtan, to make sure we select the most dedicated and deserving of students to attend our prestigious school."

There was a pause and another unseen nod from Ember.

"Yes. Yes sir. Of course."

"However, we've unanimously decided that, in your particular case, there was no deliberation needed. You will not be recieving one of Bangtan's supplemental scholarships this term."

Ember's heart stopped, despair spiking through her, causing her throat to tighten and block off any response she may have tried to force out otherwise.

She nodded again, numbly, blinking back the defeated tears threatening to spill over.

"Instead, we have decided that, due to your extensive talent in multiple categories, and our sponsers inability to decide who would get to finance your tuition, you will be attending Bangtan on a full ride scholarship starting this term, housing included."

Ember couldn't breathe. Suddenly she couldn't force her lungs to expand and drink in the precious oxygen her body knew it needed.

 _Is this real?_

Her heart beat loudly in her ears, she could feel her pulse in her fingertips.

 _Is he serious?_

She briefly pulled the phone away from her

face, double checking the number to make sure she was really speaking to the dean of Bangtan Performing Arts School.

"However, there will be some stipulations, of course."

She snapped the phone back to her ear.

"Y-yes sir. I'm listening."

"You know well, I'm sure, that you must take two general studies classes and visual arts class. Due to the nature of your scholarship, you will also be required to take Classical Composition, and to participate in our student-led Drama Society. Our model student Cho Hye-Ji has informed us that you would benefit greatly from both of these programs."

The tears started to fall then, thick and heavy, as Ember's heart swelled with gratitude for the girl she'd just met. Classical Composition alone was a three _thousand_ dollar course per term at the university, one she never would have been able to afford, even on a supplemental scholarship.

Realizing the man was calmly awaiting some type of response, Ember cleared her throat, swiping at the tears that were catching the attention of passerby as she continued to nod frantically despite his being unable to see it.

"Yes. Yes sir. Thank you. Thank you so much. This-" her voice broke as she choked back a sob. "This is more than I ever could have hoped for. So much more."

"It's no more than a hard worker like yourself deserves, Miss Rhodes. So we'll be seeing you on the 12th? Term doesn't start until the 15th, but you should use the time to get used to the campus and your quarters, and it should give you time to move in any belongings."

"Gladly sir. Thank you, again. I'll be there."

"And Miss Rhodes?"

"Sir?"

"Thank you for auditioning for our family here at Bangtan. We have the utmost confidence that you will be an exquisite edition to the team."


	2. Chapter 2

Ember bolted down the apartment steps, meeting Hye-ji in a bouncing, squealing hug as she stepped out of her car.

"I can't believe the freaking _luck_ ," Ember exclaimed. "Unless you had something to do with it?"

The pretty redhead laughed, shaking her head. "Nope. But I'm damn sure not complaining. Let's get your stuff and go, I want to go eat somewhere."

In the two short weeks since the audition, they'd become close friends, so when the dean's office had called with Ember's roomate assignment, they'd both been over the moon.

Hye-ji had lived in the apartment since the previous year, but her roomate had graduated, leaving the spot open for Ember.

The girls chattered excitedly the whole way to campus, but Ember grew quiet as they drove down the long, winding road to the student housing. She was simply overwhelmed by the thought that she had _actually_ made it.

Hye-ji smiled warmly and squeezed her hand. "I'm glad you got in. For once I feel like I have a friend here, instead of just competition."

"Even if we were competition, I'd still want to be your friend," Ember replied sincerely. In the short time she'd known the other girl, it'd become clear what a kind and caring person she was, and Ember couldn't see how anyone could _not_ want to be close to her. She was extremely grateful she'd met her.

They pulled to a stop in front of the homey, two-story student lodgings, snatching up boxes and racing up the stairs to their second floor apartment.

Ember gasped in delight as Hye-ji led her inside, taking in the simple, classy apartment that was much nicer than she had expected a student dorm to be.

The space was sleek and modern, all straight lines, stone countertops, and solid blacks, whites, and reds. The wall opposite the front door was made entirely of glass, giving them a serene view of the woods around the complex and the long, winding driveway they'd taken in.

There was a white leather sectional facing a black stone fireplace, and a large red beanbag chair sat beside a small side table against the glass wall. Ember could already picture sinking into it with a warm cup of mint cocoa on a stormy day.

The kitchen wasn't large, but was open and well equipped with stainless steel appliances, and instead of a dining table, four comfy-looking padded stools sat by the wide island in the center.

The best part, however, was the regal cherry wood piano sitting off to the side, polished and welcoming. Ember stared at it in awe, and Hye-ji followed her friends stunned gaze.

"Ah! That's a new addition, from the dean."

Ember glanced back at her. "New?"

"Yeah, they're constantly trying to make the dorms more accommodating to students, so we can hone our talents on our own time. Different things for different students. Our's is probably a bit more extravagant than some, but we both play piano and study Classic Comp, so they decided on this baby. Seokjin helped some guys bring it up a couple days ago."

She led Ember across the room to a door by the glass wall, flinging it open with a flourish to reveal her friend's new bedroom.

"Who's Seokjin?" Ember inquired as they stepped inside.

The bedroom was just as classy, modern, and simple as the rest of the apartment, consisting simply of a full sized bed with built in drawers, a long desk equipped with a sleek desktop computer, and wide bookshelves built into one wall.

"Ah, Seokjin is the senior class president. You'll probably meet him soon."

Ember nodded. "Is he a friend of yours?"

Hye-ji suddenly burst out laughing, just as a lazy knock sounded at their door.

Ember went to answer it, giving Hye-ji a moment to compose herself. She flung open the door and froze mid-stride as she struggled to process the shockingly handsome boy lounging (all too close) against the door frame.

Her eyes couldn't seem to decide where to focus, darting between his bright, chocolate brown eyes and his sinfully soft, full pink lips.

A small smirk played across those luscious lips as she stared, and her face flushed as she realized she hadn't spoken yet.

"Ah, um. H-hi."

The tall, beautiful boy cast her an amused look, his gaze sweeping quickly over her face.

"You're Ember Rhodes, I take it?"

She nodded.

"Ah! Speaking of the devil!" Hye-ji chose that moment to step up behind Ember and throw her arm around her shoulders.

"Someone usually is," the boy mused dryly, clearly unimpressed.

"Ember, _this_ is Seokjin. The one I was telling you about." The redheaded girl smiled sweetly at the newcomer, who narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

"Yah? Telling her what, exactly?"

Hye-ji rolled her eyes. "Nothing important. What do you want?"

He finally straightened himself up from his lean, brushing his fingers through his thick, stylishly messy chesnut hair and stifling a yawn.

"I'm to bring Miss Rhodes here to the office to get her schedule and keycard."

"I can do that, thanks."

"Hmm. No, I think I will," he smiled mockingly, twirling a set of keys on his finger. "Dean's orders, after all."

Hye-ji huffed and rolled her eyes, casting what seemed to be an apologetic look to Ember, who'd been silently observing the amusing exchange.

"It's fine, I don't mind. Wait for me? We can eat as soon as I get back."

Hye-ji glared at Seokjin for a moment longer before turning to nod at Ember's proposal, her gaze softening immediately.

"Of course. I wouldn't go without you."

She whirled back to Seokjin suddenly, smacking him on the shoulder.

"Yah! Take care of her! Be respectful!"

Seokjin shrieked and jumped, startled.

"Wha- what do you take me for, huh?!"

"I know you! And don't drive stupid, babo!"

The boy rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"Ah, so disrespectful to your elders!"

He grabbed Ember's wrist loosely and pulled her with him down the hallway, smirking as he left Hye-ji sputtering behind them about how he was only a few months older.

Ember struggled to contain her laughter as they descended the stairs. Flushing, she realized Seokjin was still holding her wrist, and she lightly tugged it from his grasp.

He glanced at her, grinning.

"Ah, is Emmy shy, then?"

Ember stared at him in horror.

" _Emmy_? No. My name is Ember."

He just laughed and pushed the door open, gesturing for her to go before him.

She stepped back out of the building and stood staring at the striking sight before her.

A beautiful, sleek, Ferrari California was parked haphazardly in front of the apartment. But that wasn't what stunned her.

"It's.. It's pink." The pale, bronzey pink stood out drastically, immediately snatching her undivided attention.

Seokjin snorted, looking at her as if thinking she may be a bit slow.

"Yes, I'm aware of that."

Blushing at her own obvious statement, Ember glared at him before stepping up to slide in the passenger door he held open for her.

The two were silent for a moment as they pulled back down the road to the main campus, and Ember almost thought the ride would pass without more awkward "conversation".

Wrong.

"So, _Emmy._ I hear you put on quite the... enticing display at the scholarship auditions."

Ember did her best to ignore the irritating nickname.

"Enticing? What do you mean?"

Seokjin smirked again.

"Blindfolded? A bit kinky, don't you think? You don't look much like the type of girl to be in to that sort of thing."

Ember gasped in disbelief, turning to smack him on the shoulder Hye-ji had neglected.

"Excuse you! Pervert!"

"Ah! Why is everyone hitting me today!" he yelped, cowering against the driver side door. "It was a joke!"

Fuming, Ember turned her back to him, staring out the window for the remainder of the ride while he mumbled something about how disrespectful today's youth were.

At long last, they pulled in front of the sprawling mansion-like facility, and Seokjin lept from the car and raced around to open Ember's door in the time it took her to unbuckle herself.

"Um. Thanks?" she squeaked, taken aback by the gesture. He just stared at her blankly, as if he had no idea what she was thanking him for.

Ember was struck by the thought that, despite his bold and brazen attitude, he'd most likely been raised from conception to be a perfect gentleman. How irritating.

Stiffling a groan, she exited the vehicle, barely resiting the urge to roll her eyes as he opened the office door for her with a mocking "After you, Emmy."

This boy was going to cause her problems. Big problems.

He led her through the winding halls to the dean's personal office, barging in without knocking, to Ember's astonishment.

"I've got Miss Rhodes like you asked," he announced to the man behind the large desk centered perfectly in the vast room.

A tall, handsome man in his late forties sat in the leather chair, and Ember found something oddly familiar in the broad stretch of his shoulders and the soft, bright brown eyes behind his glasses.

"Ah, thank you Jin," the regal man replied warmly. "You can wait in the hall while I go over a couple things with Miss Rhodes."

Seokjin (Jin?) nodded and bowed slightly to the man before turning and sauntering back into the hall, closing the door gently behind him.

 _Well someone is suddenly on his best behavior,_ Ember thought sarcastically.

She smiled at the dean and bowed her head, taking the seat he waved her to in front of the cluttered desk.

"Excuse my mess," he laughed. "I find it uncomfortable to work if my space is too neat. Feels too much like I'm... at work."

Ember laughed, instantly at ease with the man.

"As I'm sure you know, Miss Rhodes- or may I call you Ember?"

She nodded, smiling. "Yes sir, of course."

"Ah, thank you. As I'm sure you've gathered, Miss Ember, I'm Dean Kim. We spoke briefly on the phone the day of your audition. I attended it as well, though I don't think you'd remember that as you didn't really see any of us."

"Yes sir, it's great to finally meet you in person!"

Dean Kim smiled brightly. "The feeling is quite mutual. I hope my son didn't cause you any trouble on the ride over?"

Ember stared at him blankly for a long moment before the pieces began to click together in her head. Oh dear.

"Ah, um, Seokjin is... _your_ son?"

The dean laughed and nodded. "Yes, that he is. I apologize for any discomfort his brazen personality may have caused you. He is quite a handful, though he is a brilliant and talented one, believe it or not."

He chuckled again at Ember's sheepish expression, before directing her attention to the small stack of papers before him.

"In this, you will find everything you need to get settled in here at Bangtan. Included is a map of the grounds, though I'm sure Miss Hye-ji would be willing to show you around personally, as well as our rather lenient uniform policy, and both of your schedules, detailed with room numbers and instructors names."

He passed the papers over to Ember to look through. He was certainly write about the uniform policy being lenient: basically the only rules were for neither sex to bare their breasts, butt, or genitalia, or wear clothes with vulgar words.

"As you'll notice, your schedule for Thursdays is different from your Monday through Wednesday agenda. While we do require all students to take at least two general studies classes, we only require them three days a week. Thursdays are devoted entirely to your chosen craft, or crafts, in your case. Fridays through Sundays are off days, and you are free to come and go from campus as you please."

He smiled at Ember's suprised look.

"While we believe honing your artistic talents is of the utmost importance, we also realize that socializing, family time, and social networking are very important in the life of any artist, so we make an effort to allow our students plenty of time to partake in those activities."

"Wow," Ember spoke. "This school continues to exceed even my highest expectations."

She paused, finding her words.

"Sir, I just want to thank you, again, for this amazing opportunity. If it wasn't for this scholarship, I would never have been able to attend here, and I doubt that I would have found another way to successfully pursue my passions. Thank you."

Dean Kim smiled softly, his eyes shining a bit wetly as he leaned forward on his clasped hands.

"I appreciate your gratitude, Miss Ember. But please. Don't ever feel indebted to me, or to any of your sponsers. You owe us nothing. Your own raw talent is what got you this oppurtunity. Dedicated artists like you help make this world a better place through their love and their passion, and people like you give us a chance to aid that process. This world could always do with a little more beauty, don't you think?"

Ember found herself at a loss for words, overwhelmed by the magnificent man's kind and genuine speech. She just nodded, blinking back the tears pooling in her eyes.

"Well, thats about all I had to go over with you today. Ah! Here's your keycard. This will allow you to enter and leave the premises as you wish, and also gains you access to the laundry facilities."

Dean Kim passed the card to her, catching her hand between his own much larger ones.

"Miss Ember, I mean it when I say we are very, very happy to have you here with us, and I really hope you can come to think of the students and staff at Bangtan as a family. If you need anything at all, feel free to come to me. I _will_ make time for you."

With that, he released her and pulled back, smiling, and gesturing to her that she was free to leave.

She came upon a bored Seokjin back in the hallway, sprawled across a bench entertaining himself.

She stared at him for a moment, still reeling from the revelation that he was the son of the prince-like man in the next room.

Sure, the resemblance was definitely there, in everything but the full curve of Seokjins lips, actually. But she was _really_ having trouble relating the dean's respectful, genuine personality to the boy laying in front of her singing " _Gwigwi gwi-yomi!_ " as he tossed around a Mario bouncy ball.

"Uh, hey, I'm done."

Seokjin jumped and yelped at the sound of her voice, nearly dropping his ball. He cleared his throat and stood, combing his fingers through his hair quickly before gesturing with the ball for her to lead the way.

Ember bit back a laugh at his slightly flustered appearance as they made their way back out of the building and he opened the car door for her.

"So how was your meeting with the dean?"

"Very nice, thanks," Ember replied, a bit suspicious of the casual conversation. "Why didn't you mention that he was your father?"

Seokjin shrugged. "It's not a big deal. Wait."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes as he drove. "Would you have still hit me if you knew?"

She laughed. "Hmm. No, probably not."

"Ah!" Seokjin exclaimed, slapping the steering wheel in mock outrage. "I should have said it then!"

Ember burst out laughing at his dramatics, shaking her head and turning to watch the campus pass by through the window, completely missing the curious look he cast her, and the small, soft, smile that accompanied it.

Much to Ember's dismay, he insisted on escorting her back up to her apartment, opening doors and being exasperatingly chivalrous all the way.

"Well, bye bye now, _Emmy."_ he cooed with a bow as she stepped inside the apartment.

She smiled sarcastically. "Bye bye then, _Jinnie_."

Ember laughed at his offended expression before closing the door in his face. Two can play at that game.

She barely had time to turn around before Hye-ji bolted from her room, spinning Ember around and checking for injuries.

"Was he civil, did he drive sanely, are you ok?" she interrogated, making the other girl laugh uncontrollably.

"Yeah, yeah, he was okay. But lord is he something else."

Hye-ji nodded, wide-eyed. "Girl, yes. That boy is a handful." She grinned.

"But since you're alive, let's go already, I'm hungry!"


	3. Chapter 3

Ember was wide awake well before they needed to be on Wednesday, so she decided to repay the other girl's kindness by fixing the two of them an extravagant breakfast.

She stepped out of the shower and bustled around their perfect little kitchen, frying eggs and sausage and tossing her homeade breakfast bagel-pizzas in the oven as she spread icing on the now cooling cinnamon rolls.

Right as she was finishing everything, Hye-ji stepped out of the bathroom with her towel on her head and her nose searching the air.

"Ah, what smells so good?" she exclaimed, hurrying into the kitchen and promptly gasping at the feast her roomate had prepared for them.

She turned to Ember, grabbing the hand that wasn't spreading icing and dropping to her knees.

"Marry me child! You can have boyfriends if you want, I could care less as long as I wake up to this in the mornings!"

Ember burst out laughing at her best friend's antics, pulling her to her feet and giving her a quick hug.

"You've done a lot for me lately, I just wanted you to have a good start to our first day," she told her sincerely, ushering her to a stool and setting a loaded plate in front of her before fixing her own and pouring them both a glass of orange juice.

"Yah, well you definitely gave me that! The only thing better would have been to wake up to it in bed," she replied with an exaggerated wink, making Ember laugh again.

"Ah, I'll have to remember that for next time."

"Next time?" Hye-ji echoed, pretending to swoon. "Be still my heart!"

After the dishes had been cleared, the girls pulled out Ember's schedules to go over them together.

 ** _Monday-Wednesday_**

 **8a.m. _English Literature, room 09_**

 _(Professor Kim Namjoon)_

 **9a.m. _Classical Composition, room 27_**

 _(Professor Min Yoongi )_

 **10a.m. _Drama Society, auditorium 2_**

 _(student led, Kim Taehyung)_

 **11a.m. Art Society, room 13**

 _(student led, Jeon Jungkook)_

 ** _12 p.m. Break_**

 **1p.m. _Creative Writing, room 09_**

 _(Professor Kim Namjoon)_

 **2p.m. _Piano, studio B_**

 _(Professor Min Yoongi)_

 **3p.m. _Contemporary Dance, studio D_**

 _(Coach Jung Hoseok)_

 ** _Thursday_**

 **10a.m. _Piano, studio B_**

 _(Professor Min Yoongi)_

 ** _12p.m. Break_**

 **1p.m. Contemporay Dance, studio D**

 _(Coach Jung Hoseok)_

"Ah, you're lucky, you got classes with Taehyung and Jungkook! The jeaolusy is real."

Ember looked at her questioningly.

"They're both friends of mine, they're great. Not to mention ridiculously pretty, so just prepare yourself ahead of time. And oh my god! You got Jung Hoseok for dance!"

Hye-ji closed her eyes and clasped her hands to her heart, pretending to pray. "Dear lord, please save my child so that she doesn't die from the sudden onslaught of attractive men in her life."

Ember laughed, playfully smacking Hye-ji on the shoulder.

"So what's the deal with Jung Hoseok, is he another friend of yours?"

The look Hye-ji cast her said plainly that she _wished_ that were the case.

"No, I don't know him personally. He graduated from here 2 years ago, when I was just starting. He's an amazing dancer, and this is only his second term back. He got the job in January, but he didn't have an actual class of his own because it was already halfway through the school year. He's super nice though, makes an effort to make friends with the students and even attended a few parties last term. He's just so... _fun._ Most of the students here are half in love with him."

She glanced back down to Ember's schedule.

"Ah, and you have Professors Min and Kim, with me! Those classes should be fairly easy. Professor Kim is one of my favorites. He's really nice and lenient, as long as you do your work. He never assigns homework because he doesn't want to interfere with anyone's practice time, and his classes are really relaxed."

She paused.

"Professor Min... hmm. Well, it's kind of hard to describe him. He acts like he doesn't really want to be here, but he's really passionate about music, so he's an amazing teacher anyway. He just doesn't take any shit. He was my instructor last term, too. He's a bit of an... aquired taste, but I like him."

Ember nodded slowly, taking it all in. It didn't sound too bad. She seemed to have gotten pretty lucky, based on what Hye-ji was saying.

The two girls threw on their clothes and grabbbed their bags, getting to the campus a little early so Hye-ji could show Ember where the classes they didn't have together were located.

Ember noted that while each classroom was fitted with the latest technology, they weren't large at all, which Hye-ji explained was because the school insisted on keeping classes small and intimate, to offer more one-on-one interaction between instructors and students.

There were no classes with more than 10 students, and even that was on the higher side compared to most and usually only occurred in the general studies classes.

Ember supposed that made sense for a school that only accepted two to three hundred students a year.

Finally the two made their way to their first class, sliding into comfy chairs by the window and pulling out their English textbooks and notebooks.

They'd still managed to be the first people in the classroom, beating even the teacher, and were so busy chatting about the movie they'd seen the night before that they didn't notice the tall man who stepped into the room until he came up behind Hye-ji and ruffled her pretty red hair.

"Yah!" she exclaimed, spinning around to confront her attacker. "Oh, Professor Kim!"

To Ember's suprise, her friend enveloped the handsome, grinning blonde in a tight hug before reclaiming her seat and turning to introduce him to Ember.

"Professor Kim, this is my new friend and roomate, Ember Rhodes."

Ember found it suddenly very hard to breathe as the beautiful man turned his dimpled, full-lipped smile on her, his warm brown eyes sparkling behind the lenses of his black-framed glasses.

It was obvious he wasn't that much older than her, mid twenties at the most, dressed in a fitted white dress shirt and simple black slacks. She couldn't stop her eyes from trailing over his solid frame and lingering on the sinful way his button-down hugged his strong, toned arms and broad shoulders.

She felt her face heat and her breath catch in her throat as she tore her eyes away and bowed her head in greeting.

"Nice to meet you Miss Rhodes. I believe I saw you on my roster for Creative Writing as well? Seems we'll be seeing each other rather often."

His dimples were really making it difficult to focus on his words.

"Yes sir, it looks that way," she smiled, hoping her flustered state didn't show on her face. "Pleasure to meet you."

Professor Kim cocked an eyebrow slightly, smiling a bit broader, if that was possible. It gave Ember the impression that her current condition was probably a bit more visible than she'd hoped.

"Ah! Yes, it nearly slipped my mind! I glanced over your transcript from the college you've been attending until present. We have a student-led tutoring group here for general studies classes. Would you be interested in helping fellow students?"

Ember knew she had a lot on her plate. She knew she was taking more classes than most of the students on campus. She knew she was already going to have it hard trying to keep up with her clients at her photography job on the weekends without adding anything else to her schedule.

Which is why she opened her mouth with every intention of politely declining the suggestion.

"You would be a great help. Your marks in your past classes are honestly outstanding, and I would very, very much appreciate it if you'd consider tutoring some of my students."

His genuine expression and the gentle, hopeful smile on his face had Ember shutting her mouth and nodding without even realizing she'd changed her mind.

"Great! I'll sign you up!"

Professor Kim clapped his hands together in delight. He straightened from the desk, reaching out to ruffle her hair like a child on his way up to his own desk at the front of the classroom, and Ember finally noticed that a few other students had started filing in and taking seats.

She took a deep, calming breath and turned to glance at Hye-ji, who was watching her with a highly amused expression.

"What's funny?" she whispered to the girl, who broke into a wide grin.

"Oh, nothing. Just your face."

Ember narrowed her eyes and smacked her friend, who just laughed hysterically before leaning close to whisper in her ear.

"He's only 24, and he's a sweetheart. Also, just so you know... there's no policy here against students and professors... you know."

She leaned back in her seat, smirking, as Ember slowly caught on to what the girl was implying and turned a pretty shade of cherry red.

Ember glared at her for a moment before turning to the front to pay attention to Professor Kim, only to meet his curiously amused gaze for a second before he faced the class and began his introduction to the course.

Ember tried to focus on his words, she really did, but she found her eyes wandering from his stylishy arranged blonde hair, down the length of his handsomely dressed body. She closed her eyes and raised a hand to rub at her temple, suddenly getting the feeling that this class was going to be more of a struggle than she'd anticipated.

Roughly one excrutiating hour later, the two girls filed out of the classroom, Ember clutching the tutoring schedule Professor Kim had printed and passed to her during class.

Hye-ji had already pried it from her fingers once, squealing with delight when she realized Ember's first charge for the Thursday sessions was her friend Jeon Jungkook.

The two made their way quickly to their next class together, Classical Composition.

The professor was already there, his all-black attire providing a stark contrast to his pale skin and silver-blonde hair. He was propped up with his feet crossed on his desk, flipping slowly through music sheets with one hand while the other tapped a rhythm on the arm of his chair.

He didn't look up as they quietly took their seats (again by the windows) and Ember couldn't tell if he'd even noticed them walk in.

"Good Morning Professor Min," Hye-ji called brightly, and he glanced up momentarily, nodding politely at the two before immediately returning to whatever he was studying.

Ember found herself entranced by the way his fingers played along the armrest. It was as if he were playing an imaginary piano.

She watched as he stopped tapping, shook his head abruptly and grabbed a pen to cross something out on the music sheet before scribbling something in its place and resuming his tapping with a slightly different rhythm.

Ember shot a glance to Hye-ji who was transfixed with it as well.

"Is he composing? Without music?" she whispered, and her friend smiled and nodded.

"He does that a lot. He's played long enough that he's memorized all the keys and their notes, so he doesn't really need a piano to compose a piece. He's brilliant."

Ember nodded in agreement, definitely impressed. She wondered what the piece he was imagining sounded like, and tried to keep track of the imaginary keys he was playing. She quickly lost track.

Soon the other six students had found their seats, and the Professor finally set his

music down. He made his way to the front of the class, leaning back against the podium and lazily scanning the small class.

His bored gaze landed on Ember. "I see we have a new student. Name?"

"Ember Rhodes, sir."

He nodded as if the name was to be expected. "Welcome. I hope you will dedicate yourself to this class as much as your preforming arts. It is just as crucial, if you don't want to be playing unoriginal crap shoved at you by mainstream producers for the rest of your life. But that is, of course, for you to decide."

Ember nodded, not really sure what to say to that.

Professor Min turned to address the class as a whole.

"You were each asked to prepare a track of your own to give me a feel of where you stand on this subject. Bring them up."

Hyeji glanced at her in a panic, realizing Ember hadn't been aware of that request. Luckily she still had her track from her audition tucked safely into her bag. She pulled it out and walked with Hye-ji to drop their flashdrives on Professor Min's desk as he took his seat again, starting his computer and grabbing a track at random.

Oh. So he was going to play them for the whole class.

Ember supposed she shouldn't have been suprised, but still found herself nervous to see the slightly intimidating man's reaction to her music.

He played through three of them in silence, asking only which student it belonged to and jotting down notes.

Ember found herself captivated by the way he tapped his pen against his pretty bottom lip, head cocked slightly to the right, eyes closed in concentration.

His face was flawless, not a blemish or mark in sight, and his long, feminine lashes contrasted enticingly with his milky skin tone.

Ember wasn't sure when she had decided that he was beautiful, but the thought was definitely there now.

Judging by Hye-ji's appreciative smile, the other girl had long since come to terms with that fact herself.

The track came to a close and he opened his eyes, nodding to himself and scribbling more notes in his book.

Without pause he popped in the next one, which was a beautiful mix of violin and piano layed over each other.

A small appreciative smile played at his lips, mirroring Ember's own.

She turned to smile at Hye-ji. She felt, rather than guessed, that this was her piece. It was saturated with her optimism and energy.

"Ah, Hye-ji. You've grown."

The girls both beamed, Hye-ji out of happiness for the stoic professor's reaction, and Ember out of loving pride for her friend.

He gave one last appreciative nod and jotted down a couple notes as the beautiful piece drifted to a close before popping in the next one.

Ember recognized her green flashdrive and tensed involuntarily, knowing it was a ridiculous reaction. He obviously wasn't going to ridicule her. She just found herself caring a hell of a lot about what he would think of what was a very important piece to her.

The first few notes drifted into the room, and there was that slight head tilt again as he reached for his pen. The intro ended then and the real piece began. His fingers stopped just shy of the pen and settled gently on the desk instead. His eyes remained closed and his body stilled through the remainder of her track, betraying no emotion except his intense concentration.

Ember found herself loving the enraptured look on his face more than she probably should have. He'd had the same expression with nearly every track he'd heard so far, but that didn't matter. This time it was _her_ music he was immersing himself in. She had his undivided attention.

She heard a slight sniffle and glanced to Hye-ji, finding her friend with a shaky smile on her face as she gently swayed to the music.

Her eyes landed on Ember and she smiled wide, mouthing " _Beautiful_ " as the final notes lilted through the room.

There was silence, no scratching of a pen on paper, and Ember turned to face the front again, gazingly expectantly at the man who sat with his hands now folded, staring out the window. He hadn't even asked who it belonged to yet, hadn't written any notes.

Without a word, he turned back to the computer and played the track again.

Ember felt oddly numb as she watched him lean back in his chair, head nodding almost imperceptibly as his fingers started to play along his armrest as they had before. But it wasn't his music he was playing in his head this time. It was hers.

The music once again rose and peaked and fell away, and he sat up and pulled out her track. His eyes found hers immediately.

"Miss Rhodes. See me after class, if you will."

Ember nodded mutely, not sure what to make of the situation. She looked to Hye-ji, but her friend seemed just as taken aback as she was.

The rest of the class passed in a blur as she grew steadily more nervous of what he had to say. He listened to the remaining songs and went over the basics of what they would be covering this term before going off subject to discuss the vast array of talent competitions the students should look forward to over the next several months.

Ember drank it all in, scribbling down notes and ignoring her nerves.

Finally, the hour ended, and the students rose from their seats and filed out of the classroom. Hye-ji cast her a reassuring smile and hugged her quickly before letting her know they should meet for lunch and hurrying to her next class.

Ember went to stand but Professor Min simply raised a hand slightly, signaling for her to remain seated as he answered questions from the last remaining student.

As the boy left, the professor stood and made his way to the desk Hye-ji had vacated, spinning the chair around and straddling it backwards, folding his arms across the back of it.

He simply looked at her for a moment, and Ember felt her cheeks starting to burn as she stared at her own hands.

"Why are you in this class?"

Ember's eyes snapped up to meet him, suprised.

"To learn how to compose my own music."

He cocked his head.

"Hmm? It would seem to me you already know."

Ember flushed.

"I-I know some. But I can't... I don't _really_ know," she struggled to explain. "I don't know the process. I don't know how to explain what I do. I just.. do it."

"Ah. I see," he replied, realization dawning. "You've never studied composition have you? You just play until you like what you hear."

Ember nodded. "It's what I've always done. But sometimes I can't even do that. Most of the time, if I'm being honest."

Professor Min was nodding, a small smile on his face. "You have to feel it. You can't force it."

She nodded again, relieved that he understood without her trying to word it.

"Hmm. Well, I'll be honest with you Miss Rhodes. I was going to have you removed from my class."

wmber

Ember froze, not knowing how to react to that confession at all.

"This is a class for students who need it, not students just looking for an easy A on their transcript. There are limited spots, and for a moment I thought yo. u were the latter. I see that's not the case."

He pondered something for a moment.

"What are your majors here Miss Rhodes?"

"Dance and Piano. I'm also in Drama and Art Society."

He nodded, eyebrows raised slightly.

"That's a lot on your plate. Make sure not to overwork yourself. I, for one, do not play favorites. I expect to see you trying your hardest in this course."

Ember nodded, grabbing her books and standing as he did, following him to his desk to accept the note he wrote for her next teacher.

She exited the classroom as he turned back to his computer, and as she walked quickly away, she heard the soft notes of her track begin again behind her.

A fierce blush crept across her face, though she wasn't exactly sure why.

She didn't have long to ponder the reaction though. As she rounded the corner she smacked hard into a very solid something, her books tumbling to the ground as she fell against the wall.

" _Shit_."

"Sorry, I'm so sorry," she groaned as she realized it wasn't a solid some _thing_ but a some _one_ that she'd plowed into in her daze.

"Don't mention it," came the clipped reply as her books were abruptly dumped back into her arms. The boy hurried past her without a second glance. She barely caught a glimpse of his tall frame, unamused expression, and curly brown hair before he disappeared around the corner, leaving her stunned by his sudden departure.

 _Wow, rude._

She shook her head indignantly and made her way to the auditorium, trying to shake off her sudden bad mood. It was only 10 in the morning, and this was already beginning to feel like a very, very long day.


End file.
